School Board votes to fire teacher's aide

Published: Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at 8:04 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at 8:04 p.m.

A teacher’s aide suspended last year for five days for “lightly” swatting a Down syndrome child on the buttocks has been placed on unpaid leave again, this time accused of grabbing another child by the shirt and yelling at him in the lunch room.

The School Board on Tuesday voted to fire Anthony Elementary School paraprofessional Luther Evers in connection with last December’s incident.

However, Evers requested an administrative hearing to protest the firing, which means he can only be placed on unpaid leave until a hearing can be held.

Once the board can hold a hearing, which has not been scheduled, the board will then have a choice to uphold the dismissal or to reduce the punishment.

Evers could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. His Clearwater attorney, Mark Herdman, did not return a phone call for comment on Tuesday.

In a letter to Lisa Krysalka, the district’s executive director of human resources, Herdman wrote that his client “disputes the factual allegations that serve basis for the recommended termination of his employment.”

Herdman noted Evers seeks reinstatement to his position with full back pay and benefits.

It was the third time that Evers has been reprimanded in a span of about 15 months, district documents reveal.

The “recommendation for dismissal,” which details prior investigations into Evers, was signed and placed on the School Board agenda by Superintendent of Schools George Tomyn.

The latest incident occurred on Dec. 6, when Evers screamed “in the face of a student in the cafeteria of Anthony Elementary School, while grabbing and tightly holding onto the student’s shirt collar,” the document states.

“Among other things, (Evers) yelled in the student’s face — ‘I’m tired of you today’ and ‘I have had it with you,’ ” Tomyn wrote. “As a result of (Evers’) actions, the student appeared shaken and terrified.”

Evers received his first disciplinary action — a written letter of reprimand from retired Superintendent Jim Yancey — in late 2011. District officials wrote that Evers placed an Exceptional Student Education student in timeout behind an open bathroom door. The document states Evers then placed a piece of furniture against the door to keep the child from leaving timeout.

Evers received his second disciplinary action — a five-day unpaid suspension — for striking a 6-year-old Down syndrome student in December 2011. Evers first denied the allegation and then said he lightly swatted the child on the buttocks, the district document states.

Contact Joe Callahan at 867-4113 or at joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter at JoeOcalaNews.

<p>A teacher's aide suspended last year for five days for “lightly” swatting a Down syndrome child on the buttocks has been placed on unpaid leave again, this time accused of grabbing another child by the shirt and yelling at him in the lunch room.</p><p>The School Board on Tuesday voted to fire Anthony Elementary School paraprofessional Luther Evers in connection with last December's incident.</p><p>However, Evers requested an administrative hearing to protest the firing, which means he can only be placed on unpaid leave until a hearing can be held.</p><p>Once the board can hold a hearing, which has not been scheduled, the board will then have a choice to uphold the dismissal or to reduce the punishment.</p><p>Evers could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. His Clearwater attorney, Mark Herdman, did not return a phone call for comment on Tuesday.</p><p>In a letter to Lisa Krysalka, the district's executive director of human resources, Herdman wrote that his client “disputes the factual allegations that serve basis for the recommended termination of his employment.”</p><p>Herdman noted Evers seeks reinstatement to his position with full back pay and benefits.</p><p>It was the third time that Evers has been reprimanded in a span of about 15 months, district documents reveal.</p><p>The “recommendation for dismissal,” which details prior investigations into Evers, was signed and placed on the School Board agenda by Superintendent of Schools George Tomyn.</p><p>The latest incident occurred on Dec. 6, when Evers screamed “in the face of a student in the cafeteria of Anthony Elementary School, while grabbing and tightly holding onto the student's shirt collar,” the document states.</p><p>“Among other things, (Evers) yelled in the student's face — 'I'm tired of you today' and 'I have had it with you,' ” Tomyn wrote. “As a result of (Evers') actions, the student appeared shaken and terrified.”</p><p>Evers received his first disciplinary action — a written letter of reprimand from retired Superintendent Jim Yancey — in late 2011. District officials wrote that Evers placed an Exceptional Student Education student in timeout behind an open bathroom door. The document states Evers then placed a piece of furniture against the door to keep the child from leaving timeout.</p><p>Evers received his second disciplinary action — a five-day unpaid suspension — for striking a 6-year-old Down syndrome student in December 2011. Evers first denied the allegation and then said he lightly swatted the child on the buttocks, the district document states.</p><p><i>Contact Joe Callahan at 867-4113 or at joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter at JoeOcalaNews.</i></p>